Winding reel



M, 939. J. SAMERDYKE WINDING REEL Filed June 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR ATTORNEY FRED J SAMERDYKE Nov. M, 1939. F. J. SAMERVDYKE 3WINDING REEL Filed June 20, 1936 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVENTOR ZZI FREDJ.SAMERDYKE ATTORNEY F. .J. SAMERDYKE 2.179523 WINDING REEL Nov 14,1939.

Filed June 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR FIRED J. SAMERDYKEPatented Nov. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE WINDING REEL Fred J. Samerdyke,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland,Ohio,

a corporation of Delaware Application June 20,

14 Claims.

This invention concerns a novel form of Winding reel. I

More particularly, the invention relates to a generally cylindricalwinding reel comprising a plurality of interdigitating sets oflongitudinally extending bar members, such sets usually, but notnecessarily, being two in number. By suitable arrangement or movement ofthe bar members of the respective sets, material such as thread or thelike wound about the reel may be caused to advance lengthwise thereof ina plurality of spaced, generally helical turns. The present inventionprovides a reel of the above type in which the sets of bar members aredisposed in askew relation to each other, at least one set beingnonrigid and having bar members thereof adapted during the revolution ofthe reel to be laterally moved to positions in which they project beyondthe periphery of the other set.

The thread or the like, because of such projection of the bar members ofone set beyond those of the other set, is thus caused to be transferredfrom the bar members of one set to the bar members of the other set,while because of the askew relation of the sets of bar members, thethread is caused to advance lengthwise of the reel in a plurality ofspaced generally helical turns. Since by means of a reel of this type arelatively long length of thread or the like may be temporarilycontinuously stored in a relatively small spacein a plurality of spacedgenerally helical turns, such. reels may be conveniently employed in theprocessing of thread or the like.

The reel illustrated as embodying the invention comprises two non-rigid,generally cylindrical, interdigitating sets of longitudinally extendingbar members. The two sets of bar members are in askew relation to eachother, the bar members of the two sets being adapted, as by cam means,to be moved radially of the axis of the reel in such manner that certainof the bar members of each set are projected laterally beyond theperiphery of the other set. Rotation of the reel causes the thread orthe like to wind on the reel, the lateral projection of the bar membersof each set beyond the periphery of the other set resulting in atransfer of the thread or the like from one set of bar members to theother. The askew relation of the two sets of bar members causes threador the like Wound on the reel to progress lengthwise of the reel.Together, these factors bring about advance of the thread or the like ina plurality of spaced generally helical turns.

The reel of the present invention is preferably but need-not necessarilybe of cantilever con- 1936, Serial No. 86,365

struction, as illustrated. The term cantilever is intended to expressthe thought that the reel is supported and driven from one end only, theother end of the reel being thus left wholly unobstructed. This featureprovides manifold advantages, dependent in part on the use to which thereel is put. For instance, cantiliver reels such as that provided by thepresent invention may be employed to particular advantage in theprocessing of thread or the like, since they lend themselves todisposition in arrangements in which, by virtue of their open-endedconstruction, threading up and other manipulation of the thread or thelike stored on the reels,'and inspection, replacement, adjustment,repair of the reels, etc., are very greatly facilitated.

In the drawings, in which one form of reel embodying the invention isillustrated, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the reel from linei--i of Figure 2. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the reel from line 2-2of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan elevation of the reel from line 3-3 ofFigure 2. Figure 4 is a sectional elevation substantially along line t-dof Figure 2. Figure 5 is an elevation from line 5-5 of Figure 4. Figure6 is an elevation from line 68 of Figure 4. Figures '7' and 8 are detailviews of two of the cam heads which may be provided to actuate the barmembersof the two sets.

The reel illustrated in the drawings comprises two non-rigidinterdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members disposed inaskew relation to each other. In the drawings, these sets bear referencenumerals l and 2, set I being comprised of bar members 3 and set 2 beingcomprised of bar members 4. The bar members of each set are adapted tobe projectedlaterally beyond the bar members of the other set, but areincapable of movement longitudinally of the set. While the bar membersof said sets -may be mounted and actuated in various ways, in theembodiment shown the bar members 3 of set I are disposed in slots 5formed in bar-like members 6 which are spaced around the periphery ofcagelike member 1, the bar-like members 6 of cagelike members I beingsupported at one end thereof by a spider 8 and being provided at theother end with an external annular reinforcing ring 9. The latter mayserve to reinforce the bar-like members 6 and may constitute a supportby means of which the cage-like member I is supported at the operatingend of the reelby an annular supporting member l0 fixed to the annularring 9, as by cap screws l I. Annular supporting member ID, journalledon the frame member I2 on which the reel is mounted, may be providedwith a flange portion I3 extending over annular ring 9 to provide aguide for the thread or the like. The reel illustrated is driven by ashaft I4 journalled in frame member I2 on which I shaft is mountedspider 8 of reel member I.

Spider 8 is fixed for rotation with the shaft I4 by key I and nut I6 onthe end of shaft I4.

During rotation of the reel, the bar members 3 of set I are movedradially to positions in which they project beyond the periphery of set2, as by means of cam heads I? and I3. Said cam heads may be rigidlymounted on frame member I2 of the reel by set screws I9 and keys 20 andhave formed therein suitably shaped cam grooves 22 in which are disposedpins 23 fixed to the corresponding finger-like portions 23 and 25 of barmembers 3. In the embodiment illustrated, movement of the bar members 3longitudinally of set I is prevented by contact of finger-like portions24 thereof with surfaces 26 on spider 8 and porting member III (Figure6), in which slots 28 the finger-like portions 25 of the bar members 3may be disposed, in which case the finger-like portions 25 are heldagainst twisting which may tend to arise out of the friction of theirpins 23 in the cam grooves 22 of cam head I8. At the outer end of thereel, finger-like portions 24 of the bar members 3 may be similarly heldagainst similar twisting by means of slots 3I formed in the reinforcingribs 32 of cage-like member I.

In the embodiment shown, the bar members 4 of set 2 are disposed inslots 33 of spaced barlike members 34 formed on the periphery of asupporting member 35 which is rotatably mounted about frame member I2inside of cage-like member I with the axis of supporting member 35inclined to the axis of shaft I3 and consequently of cage-like member I,as shown to advantage in Figure 4. The bar-like members 6 of cage-likemember I and the bar-like members 34 of supporting member 35 are thusalternately disposed as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6. During rotation ofthe reel, the bar members 4 of set 2 are moved radially with respect tosupporting member 35 to positions beyond the periphery of set I bymovement of the pins 35, fixed to fingerlike portion 36 and 31 of barmembers 4, in the cam grooves 38 of cam heads 39 and 40 which arerigidly fixed with respect to frame member I2. The bar members 4 of set2 may be confined against movement longitudinally of set 2 by means ofsuitable surfaces 42 formed on supporting member 35. Supporting member35 may be formed as indicated with extending portions 43 having suitableslots therein by means of which the bar members -4 are given additional,support and finger-like portions 36 are supported against twisting.

For convenience in construction and assembly axis inclined to a desireddegree with respect to the axis of its internal bore and may havejournalled on itsupporting member 35 and mounted upon it as by setscrews 45 and keys 46, the cam heads 39 and 40.

The cam heads I1 and I8 which actuate the bar members 3 of set'l and camheads 30 and II] which actuate the bar members 4 of set 2 may havegrooves therein of such form and so related that, as the reel rotates,the bar members 3 of set I are laterally projected beyond the barmembers 4 of set 2 for part of a revolution, while for the remainingpart of the revolution the bar members I of set 2 are projected beyondthe bar members 3 of set I. Preferred forms of cam grooves are shown inFigures 7 and 8, of which the former represents cam head I8 of set Iwhile the latter represents cam head 40 of set 2. In Figure 7, the lowerportion of cam groove 22 is an arc of a circle concentric about the axisof rotation of cage-like member I, while the distances from such centerto all parts of the remaining portion of cam groove are less than theradius of the circular arc portion of cam groove 22. In cam head 40,shown in Figure 8 in the angular relation it bears to cam head I8 ofFigure 7, the upper portion of cam groove 38 is concentric about theinclined axis about which supporting member 35 rotates, while thedistances from such center of rotation to all parts of the remainingportion of the cam groove 38 are less than the radius of the circulararc portion. It is apparent that the cam groove 22 in cam head II willbe identical with the groove 22 in cam head I8, shown in Figure 7, whilethe groove 38 in cam head 39 will correspond to the groove 38 in camhead 40 shown in Figure 8.

In the operation of the reel, cage member I is rotated by shaft I4.Contact of the bar-like members 6 thereof with the bar-like members 34of supporting member 35 causes said supporting member to rotatetherewith. During such rota: tion, the pins of the bar members slidingin the various cam grooves cause certain of the bar members of each setto be projected laterally at any given time beyond the periphery of theother set. More specifically, as shown to best advantage in Figure 6,when the pins 23 of the bar members 3 of set I are disposed in the lowercircular arc portions of cam grooves 22 in cam heads I1 and I 8, suchbar members 3 are projected beyond such of the bar members 4 of set 2 ashave their pins 35a disposed in the lower portion of cam grooves 38 ofcam heads 39 and 40; while such bar members 4 of set 2 as have theirpins 35a in the upper circular arc portions of cam grooves 38 of camheads 39 and 40 are laterally projected beyond such of the bar members 3of set I as have their pins 23 in the upper portions of cam grooves 22of cam heads I1 and I8. Thread or the. like wound on the reel is thustransferred during rotation of the reel from the bar members of one setto the bar members of the other set.

Furthermore, during such rotation the thread or the like carried by eachset of bar members travels in a plane perpendicular to the axis aboutwhich such bar members of such set-ofbar members are rotating. Since, inthe illustrated embodiment, the relation of the various cam grooves andof the inclined axes is such that the bar members of each set carryingthe thread or the like-are rotating about an axis which is inclined tothe axis about which are rotating the bar members of the other set, itis apparent each turn of thread or the like during a revolution of thereel is advanced lengthwise of the reel by an amount depending upon thedegree of inclination of the axes of the two sets and the 'diameter ofthe reel. The thread or the like is thus advanced bodily lengthwise ofthe reel in a plurality of generally helical turns.

It will be understood that the direction of advance of the thread or thelike lengthwise of the reel will be determined by the direction in whichthe bar members of the two sets are projected, the direction of theaskew relation of the two sets of bar members, and the direction ofrotation of the reel. Thus, for the reel illustrated and for a directionof rotation indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, the thread or the likewill advance lengthwise of the reel from left to right in Figure 1 orfrom .the supported end to the unsupported end of the reel. Thisdirection of advance; i. e., from the supported end of the reel to theunsupported end, constitutes the preferred direction of advance incantilever reels; but it is of course obvious that, by suitablemodification of construction of the reel, the thread or the like couldbe caused to advance in the opposite direction. It is further obviousthat for a given reel diameter the degree of inclination between the twoaxes of the sets of bar members determines the pitch of the generallyhelical turns of thread or the like being wound on the reel; that is,the greater degree of inclination, the greater the pitch of such turnsof thread or the like.

The net effect is to cause thread or the like to be wound, turn afterturn, about the reel in generally helical form, the succession of turnsmeanwhile advancing bodily of the reel, in consequence of which factthread or the like led to the reel may be stored thereon in the form ofa large number of closely spaced turns, as many as several hundred,depending on the length of the reel.

As is apparent from a study of the drawings, reels embracing the presentinvention may be made up of parts which, to a large degree, may be ofcast or molded construction. For instance, in the illustrated reel, theparts indicated by the heavy sectioning may be formed or molded ofnon-metallic materials, such, for instance, as synthet c resin, whileother parts such as the cams, pins, journals, etc., may be made up ofmetallic materials. It is understood that the reel described is but anillustrative embodiment of the invention, that various other embodimentsmay be devised, and various modifications may be made in the aboveembodiment, and that apparatus embodying the invention may be employedin various uses other than that indicated, all without departing in anyway from the spirit of the invention. While the illustrative embodimentof the invention has been discussed in connection with the winding ofthread or the like, it is apparent that reels embodying the inventionmay be employed to wind other materials: the term thread or the like isintended to comprehend, besides thread-like materials, all materialscapable of being wound on such reels.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reel comprising two interdigitating sets of longitudinallyextending bar members, at least one of said sets being of non-rigidconstruction;

means for supporting said sets of bar members in inclined relation toeach other; and means for independently moving the bar membersof saidnon-rigid set to positions in which theyjproject laterally beyond theperiphery of the other set.

2. A reel of generally circular cross section comprising twointerdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members, at leastone of said sets being made up of non-rigidly mounted bar membersincapable of independent movement lengthwise of said set; means forsupporting said sets of bar members in inclined relation to each other;and means for moving the bar members of said non-rigid set radially ofsaid reel.

3. A cantilever reel of generally circular cross section comprising twointerdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members, at leastone of said sets being made up of non-rigidly mounted bar membersincapable of independent movement lengthwise of said set; a frame membersupported from one end only thereof; means for supporting said sets ofbar members from said. frame member in inclined relation to each other,the structure defined by said sets of bar members having the end thereofopposite the end with which said frame member is associated whollyunobstructed; and means for moving the bar members of said non-rigid setradially of said reel.

4. A reel comprising two interdigitating sets of longitudinallyextending bar members, at least one of said sets being made up ofnon-rigidly mounted bar members capable of independent movement; meansfor supporting said sets of bar members in inclined relation to eachother; and means for independently moving the bar members of saidnon-rigid set in such manner that at any given time at least some of thebar members thereof are projected beyond the periphery of the other set.

5. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitating sets oflongitudinally extending bar members, at least one of said sets beingmade up of non-rigidly mounted bar members capable of independentmovement; a frame member supported from one end only thereof; means forsupporting said sets of bar members from said frame member in inclinedrelation to each other, the structure defined by said sets of barmembers having the end thereof opposite the end with which said framemember is associated wholly unobstructed; and means for moving the barmembers of said non-rigid set in such manner that at any given time atleast some of the bar members thereof are projected beyond the peripheryof the other set 6. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitatingsets of longitudinally extending bar members, at least one of said setsbeing made up of non-rigidly mounted bar members incapable ofindependent movement lengthwise of said set; a frame member supportedfrom one end only thereof; means for supporting said sets of bar membersfrom said frame member, the structure defined by said sets of barmembers having the end thereof opposite the end with which said framemember is associated wholly unobstructed; and means for laterallyprojecting the bar members of said non-rigid set beyond the periphery ofthe other set.

7. A reel comprising two interdigitating sets of longitudinallyextending bar members, each of said sets being made up of non-rigidlymounted bar members incapable of independent movement longitudinally ofsaid set, and, associated therewith, means for independently moving thebar members of each of said sets to positions in which they projectlaterally beyond the periphery of the other set.

8. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitating sets oflongitudinally extending bar members, each of said sets being made up ofnonrigidly mounted bar members incapable of independent movementlongitudinally of said set; a frame member supported from one end only 1thereof by means of which are carried said sets of longitudinallyextending bar members, one end of the structure defined by said sets ofbar members being wholly unobstructed; and, associated with said framemember, means for independently moving the bar members of each of saidsets to positions in which they project laterally beyond the peripheryof the other set.

' 9. A reel comprising two interdigitating nonrigid sets oflongitudinally extending barmembers; means for supporting said non-rigidsets of bar members in inclined relation to each other; and means forindependently moving the bar members of each of said sets to positionsin which they project laterally beyond the periphery of the other set.

10. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitating, non-rigid sets oflongitudinally extending bar members; a frame member supported from oneend only thereof; means for supporting said non-rigid sets ofbar membersin inclined relation to each other from said frame member, the structuredefined by said sets of bar members having the end thereof opposite theend with which said frame member is associated wholly unobstructed; andmeans for independently moving the bar members of each of said sets topositions in which they project laterally beyond the periphery of theother set.

11. A reel comprising two interdigitating, nonrigid, generallycylindrical sets of longitudinally extending bar members, each of saidsets being made up of bar members incapable of independent movementlengthwise of said set; means for supporting said sets of bar members ininclined relation toeach other; and means for independently moving thebar members of each of said sets radially of said set.

12. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitating non-rigid sets oflongitudinally extending bar members, each of said sets being made up ofbar members incapable of independent movement lengthwise of said set; aframe member supported from one end only thereof; means for supportingsaid sets of bar members in inclined relation to each other from saidframe member, the structure defined by said sets of bar members havingthe end thereof opposite the end with which said frame member isassociated wholly unobstructed; and means for independently moving thebar members of each of said sets radially of said set. I

13. A reel comprising two interdigitating ,sets of longitudinallyextending bar members, at least one of said sets being made up ofnon-rigidly mounted bar members incapable of independent movementlengthwise of said set; means for supporting said sets of bar members ininclined relation to each other; and, associated with said set ofnon-rigidly mounted bar members, cam means for positively moving the barmembers of said set beyond the periphery of the other set.

14. A cantilever reel comprising two interdigitating sets oflongitudinally extending bar members, at least one of said sets being ofnon-rigid construction; a frame member supported from one end onlythereof; means for supporting said sets of bar members from said framemember in inclined relation to each other, the structure defined by saidsets of bar members having the end thereof opposite the end with whichsaid frame member is associated wholly unobstructed.

FRED J. SAMERDYKE.

